Shipping cartons for products subject to inspection



April 25, 1961 w, DAWS 2,981,457

SHIPPING CARTONS FOR PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO INSPECTION Filed Feb. 2, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY TI 0. 7

April 25, 1961 w, F, D s 2,981,457

SHIPPING CARTONS FOR PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO INSPECTION Filed Feb. 2. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. M/mzw F'DAV/S BY Flor]! 770E/VFYS SHIPPING CARTONS FOR PRODUCTS SUBJECT TO INESFECTION Warren F. Davis, La Mirada, Califl, assignor to Menasha Container of California, Division of Menasha Wooden Ware Corporation, Anaheim, Calif., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 790,418

8 Claims. (Cl. 229-16) This invention relates to shipping cartons for products subject to inspection, and included in the objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a shipping carton which is particularly suitable for fruits and similar perishable products which incorporates means whereby the carton may be opened for inspection then again closed, if desired, to permit further handling of the carton without disturbing its contents.

Second, to provide a shipping carton, one form of which incorporates end and side flaps proportioned to define a large central opening and a removable, foldable cover panel covering the opening, the margins of the cover panel being initially retained under the flaps, and the flaps incorporating tear panels to uncover the cover panel suificiently to permit withdrawal of the cover panel.

Third, to provide a shipping carton of this class wherein the cover panel may be reinserted and the tear panels fold under the cover panel to retain the contents and present a neat appearance after the carton has been inspected.

Fourth, to provide a shipping carton, one form of which is so arranged as to eliminate a removable cover panel, the top end flaps being rupturable whereas the top side flaps are foldable to permit inspection, then again unfolded or flattened to cover the contents of the carton.

Fifth, to provide a shipping carton of this type which may be passed through conventional carton-gluing or stapling machines in the manner of conventional cartons.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of one form of the shipping carton embodying the invention with the shipping carton shown in its initially closed condition;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, sectional view through 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the carton partially open for the purposes of inspection;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional view through 4-4 of Figure 3.;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing one end of the carton as it appears when closed after inspection;

Figure 6 is a reduced, developed view of the carton blank;

Figure 7 is a reduced, developed view of the cover panel;

2381,45? Patented Apr. 25, 1961 Figure 8 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a carton embodying a modified form of the invention with the carton shown in its initial closed position and portions broken away and in section;

Figure 9 is a similar fragmentary, perspective view showing the carton partially open for inspection;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary, sectional view through 1t 1tl of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a developed View of a modified form of the carton with light lines indicating the fold lines of the carton and dash lines representing the tear lines thereof.

Except for its top side, which incorporates the invention, both forms of the shipping carton shown in the drawings may be conventional. That is, the carton comprises side walls 1 and end walls 2 foldably connected together. A glue flap 3 at one side wall is adapted to be cemented to the corresponding end wall. The side and end walls are provided with bottom side flaps 4 and bottom end flaps 5, respectively.

Reference is now directed to Figures 1 through 7. In place of the conventional carton top flaps, special top side flaps 6 and top end flaps 7 are provided. The top flaps 6 and 7 are narrower than the conventional carton top flaps so as to provide a relatively large central opening when the flaps are folded. The top side flaps are folded over the'top end flaps and the overlapping portions of the top side flaps are glued to the top end flaps 7.

It should be noted that the overlapping portions of the top side and end flaps 6 and 7 and the bottom side and end flaps 4 and 5 may be glued together in the conventional manner by means of a conventional carton gluing machine.

The top end flaps 7 are provided with slots 8- or perforations, or otherwise weakened along a line substantially coinciding with the overlapping margin of the top side flaps 6, so that the central portion of each top flap between the slots 8 forms a tear panel 9' which may be ripped loose and unfolded upwardly and outwardly, as shown in Figure 3.

Prior to packing the carton, if the carton is packed upside-down, that is, with the top flaps at the bottom, or after packing and before folding the top flaps, if the carton is packed right-side-up, a cover panel 10 is placed so as to overlie or underlie, as the case may be, the top side and end flaps.

The cover panel 10 is slightly less than the dimensions of the carton and is provided with longitudinal fold lines 11 located in substantial coincidence with the margins of the top side flaps 6. The cover panel 10 is also provided with a central fold line :12 so that the cover panel is divided into four sections comprising two central sections 13 and two marginal sections 14. The cover panel 10 may thus be folded along the central fold line 12 so as to draw the two central sections 13 together, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, and thus extract the marginal sections 14 from under the top side flaps 6. This is done after the tear panels 9 have been folded upwardly and outwardly.

The central sections 13 of the cover panel 10 are provided with apertures 10a which serve to ventilate the carton and may also serve to aid in raising and folding the central sections.

Operation of the embodiment of the shipping carton shown in Figures 1 through 7 is as follows:

The carton is glued or stapled in a conventional carton-gluing or stapling machine, the machine merely being adjusted to handle the smaller top flaps. The carton may be packed right-side-up or upside-down. If it is packed right-side-up, the cover panel 10 is inserted just prior to closing the top flaps. If it is packed upside-down, the panel 10 is placed in the carton before packing.

When it is desired to inspect the carton, the tear panel 9 are ripped open, as shown in Figure 3 so that the central sections 13 of the cover panel 10 may be folded toward each other thereby to extract the marginal sections 14. After removal of the cover panel 10 the contents may be inspected. After inspection the tear panels 9 are folded inwardly and the marginal sections 14 of the cover panel are inserted over the tear panels and under the side flaps 6, as indicated in Figure 5. The carton is thus capable of further handling after inspection without disturbing the contents, and, furthermore, presents a neat and tidy appearance.

Reference is now directed to Figures 8 through 11. The construction here illustrated includes a pair of top side flaps 15 and top end flaps 16. Dimensionally, these flaps may be similar to the bottom side flaps 4 and end flaps 5.

Each top side flap 15 is divided approximately in half by a longitudinal fold line 17 so that the two flaps form confronting, upwardly foldable, panels 18. The top end flaps 16 underlie the top side flaps 15 and are provided with tear lines 19 in approximate registry with the fold lines 17 so as to form separate tear panels adapted to be torn free and folded upwardly between the panels 18 after the panels 18 are folded upwardly, as shown in Figure 9. The tear panels 20 are approximately the same width as the tear panels 7 of the first described structure.

The portions of the top side flaps 15 overlying the end flaps 16 between the tear lines 19 and the sides of the carton are glued together in the conventional manner. If desired, glue spots may be interposed between the upwardly foldable panels 18 and tear panels 20. Such glue spots, if used, are relatively small in size so that the panels 18 may be readily pulled free and folded from the position shown in Figure 8 to the position shown in Figure 9.

Operation of the shipping carton shown in Figures 8 through 11 is as follows:

The shipping carton is packed in the conventional manner and glued by passage through a conventional gluing machine. When it is desired to inspect the contents, the panels 18 are folded upwardly exposing the tear panels 20, whereupon the tear panels are ripped upwardly along the tear lines 19. After inspection of the contents, the panels 20 are returned to their initial position and the panels 18 are unfolded or flattened so as to cover the tear panels 20.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the construction set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A shipping carton for products subject to inspection, comprising: a carton structure having bottom, side, and end walls; and a top closure means including a set of side top flaps and a set of end top flaps hinged to the side and end walls, respectively, of said carton structure, at least one set of said top flaps being relatively narrow to provide narrow margins on the top side thereof, thereby to leave a substantial open area therebetween, one set of top flaps overlying the other set of top flaps; said sets of top flaps being joined together at rectangular regions adjacent the corners of the top of the carton structure;

the members of the underlying set of top flaps terminating in spaced relation to each other, and the central portions of said underlying flaps between said rectangular regions being weakened along lines bordering said rectangular regions to form upwardly and outwardly unfoldable tear panels; said top closure means further including panel means movable relative to said flaps to expose the contents of the carton structure in the area within said margins.

2. A shipping carton as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said panel means is a foldable cover panel having margins disposed under said sets of top flaps, said cover panel being foldable from under said flaps upon unfolding of said tear panels.

3. A shipping carton as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said panel means includes foldable panels on said other set of top fiaps adapted to overlie said tear panels, and foldable upwardly to expose said tear panels.

4. A shipping carton for products subject to inspection, comprising: a carton structure having bottom, side, and end walls; and a top closure means including a set of side top flaps and a set of end top flaps hinged to the side and end walls, respectively, of said carton structure, at least one set of said top flaps being relatively narrow to provide narrow margins on the top side thereof, thereby to leave a substantial open area thcrebetween, one set of top flaps overlying the other set of top flaps and joined thereto within rectangular regions adjacent the corners of the carton structure the proximal corners of said regions defining the corners of and the extremities of said top flaps defining the sides of a central rectangular area; the central portions of the underlying set of top flaps between said rectangular regions being weakened adjacent the overlying set of top flaps to form tear panels extending between the overlying set of top flaps and adapted on rupture to be unfolded outwardly; said top closure means also including panel means covering said rectangular area and movable to expose the contents of said carton structure between the overlying set of top flaps.

5. A shipping carton as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said panel means includes, a cover panel having margins disposed under said sets of top flaps, said cover panel having told lines extending between and under said tear panels whereby on removal of said tear panels said cover panel is foldable to withdraw its margins from under the other set of top flaps.

6. A shipping carton as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said panel means are foldable panels extending from said overlying set of top flaps to cover said tear panels and are upwardly foldable to expose said tear panels.

7. A shipping carton for products subject to inspection, comprising: a carton structure including bottom, side, and end walls; a set of side top flaps and a set of end top flaps hinged to the side and end walls, respectively, of said carton structure, at least one set of said top flaps being relatively narrow to provide narrow margins on the top side thereof, thereby to leave a substantial open area therebetween, one set of top flaps overlying the other set of top flaps and joined thereto at the corners of the carton structure; a cover panel having parallel fold lines to permit pleating of said cover panel whereby the cover panel may reduce its dimension in one direction, said cover panel adapted to be disposed with its margins underlying the sets of top flaps; one set of said flaps including readily rupturable tear panels embracing the ends of said fold lines and adapted on being ruptured to expose said fold lines to permit pleating of said cover panel and removal of said cover panel from under the other set of top flaps.

8. A shipping carton for products subject to inspection, comprising: a carton structure including bottom, side, and end walls; a set of side top flaps and a set of end top flaps hinged to the side and end walls, respecy, f said carton structure, at least one set of said top flaps being relatively narrow to provide narrow margins on the top side thereof, thereby to leave a substantial open area therebetween, one set of top flaps overlying the other set of top flaps and joined thereto at the corners of the carton structure; a set of said flaps being weakened in their central region to form tear panels adapted to be unfolded; a foldable cover panel having margins disposed under said flaps and ends exposed on unfolding of said tear flaps, said cover panel being upwardly foldable on unfolding of said tear flaps for extraction of its margins from under said flaps; said tear panels being refoldable to a level below said flaps thereby to permit reinsertion of said cover panel under said flaps and over said tear panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

